Minority issues being used for political purposes, says Venkaiah Naidu after Hamid Ansari talks about Muslims ‘uneasiness’https://indianexpress.com/article/india/venkaiah-naidu-vice-president-minorities-muslim-democracy-tolerance-hamid-ansari-4790633/

A day before assuming office, Vice-President elect M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said that people were trying to use minority issues for political benefits. “Indian ethos is of mutual respect for each other. People try to use minority issues for political purposes,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The former union minister also asserted that India is the most tolerant country .

“India is the most tolerant country…Unfortunately, some people are trying to blow it out of proportion and trying to defame India, raising it to national forum,” he said adding that the country “is the best model of secularism.” Naidu’s comments came after outgoing Vice-President Hamid Ansari said the Muslims of the country were experiencing a sense of “uneasiness and insecurity.” Hamid Ansari interview: ‘Idea’ of India being challenged with a certain frequency which makes me uncomfortable. Click here to read.

Ansari’s successor, however, noted that politics today revolved around cash, caste and community instead of development. “Unfortunately, now in politics 3Cs have entered– Cash, caste and community. We must return to 4 Cs — Character, caliber, capacity and conduct. Agenda of politics should be development,” Naidu said.

In his last interview on Wednesday, Ansari said, “A sense of insecurity is creeping in as a result of the dominant mood created by some and the resultant intolerance and vigilantism. A democracy is distinguished by the protection it gives to minority. Democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise freely and frankly the policies of the government. But at the same time, the minorities have also their responsibilities.”